قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ ٱلدِّينَ 11
Translations
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allāh, [being] sincere to Him in religion.
Transliteration
Qul inni umirtu an a'buda Allaha mukhlisan lahu al-din
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is commanded to declare that he has been specifically ordered to worship Allah with sincere devotion, dedicating his entire religion exclusively to Him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this declaration of pure monotheism (tawhid) and sincere worship (ikhlas) is the core message of Islam, rejecting all forms of polytheism and worship of false gods. The emphasis on 'mukhlisan lahu al-din' (making the religion sincerely for Him) underscores that true worship must be free from shirk (associating partners with Allah) and worldly motivations.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Az-Zumar, a Meccan chapter that addresses the fundamental principles of Islamic monotheism and the certainty of the Day of Judgment. It represents Allah's directive to the Prophet to openly proclaim the core message of his mission: the establishment of pure worship of Allah alone, which directly confronted the polytheistic practices of pre-Islamic Arabia.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim narrated by Abu Hurairah: 'The best speech is the speech of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad.' This relates to the ayah as it emphasizes following the Prophet's clear commandment of pure monotheism. Additionally, the hadith 'Actions are by intentions' (Sahih Bukhari) echoes the concept of ikhlas (sincerity) central to this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that sincere devotion to Allah must be the foundation of all acts of worship, free from showing off, worldly gain, or any form of associating partners with Allah. For modern Muslims, it serves as a reminder to examine their intentions and ensure their religious practices are performed purely for the pleasure of Allah alone, not for social recognition or personal ambition.